Re: Does GNUstep infringe on Apple's Intellectual Property?

[Banlu Kemiyatorn]

John Anderson wrote:

> I want to clarify what I am concerned about.
>
> I am sure that GNUstep is an original implementation of the OpenStep / 
> Cocoa interface.
>
> My concern is that the interface itself (i.e. the classes, the 
> methods, the functions) is directly protected by Apple's copyright, as 
> in "NS" names.   More importantly,  Apple's copyright also extends 
> indirectly to specific functionality (i.e. just changing all the "NS" 
> names to "GS" or whatever would not solve the problem). 

AFAIK, you can't copyright API.

> For example, let's say I wanted to rip off McDonald's, with a chain of 
> fast-food hamburger restaurants called JackDonald's.  McDonald's would 
> have me shut down before I served my first "BigJack" (for those 
> Europeans who do not know, McDonald's is famous for its' "BigMac").  
> However, I am mixing trademark and copyright law here to make this 
> easier to understand. 

Well, that's a different thing. Don't look down at FSF lawyers.


> > I presume that GNUstep is an independent, from-scratch implementation
> > of the OpenStep API that has been published as open API, i.e.
> > anybody can write it's own implementation.
> >
> > Thus, GNUstep is not an Apple derivative work at all
> > and violates no Apple copyright whatsoever.
> >
> > Is this correct?
> >
> > Tima. 

Well, don't worry.  According to SCO case, in US. Companies don't need a 
clue to try to shut you down.
So renaming anything doesn't make you safer (according to your law 
system. /me ducks).
But to make you feel better. Apple itself recommended GNUstep for 
portability reason.

http://developer.apple.com/darwin/news/qa20010925.html

Q: What is the best way/configuration to support cross-platform 
Objective-C development?
A: Programming to the old OpenStep standard has been reported to work 
with both Cocoa and GNUstep.

Have a good day.